At Chelsea, he tried to convince everyone that he changed their style and held the team together after the departure of Jose Mourinho. But it was the sort of spin a BBC man is not allowed to get away with.

Grant was pretty much a bystander as John Terry rallied the troops, having players signed for him and sitting in press conferences trying and failing to charm the media.

His only real managerial experience is in the football backwater of Israel and gambling on him to prevent Portsmouth dropping into the Championship would be a huge mistake.